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Guest post by Sir Springer the Cat

Mum & Dad were apparently terribly agitated and very sad that they’d never ever see me again: they cried and cried and put posters in hundreds of letter boxes but no one had seen me. Lucky for me the cat gods were looking after me and I’m perfectly safe, if a little wiser.

I came home on the evening before my 7th birthday, Anzac Day. I’d been away for 7 weeks, one week for every year of my life (well in human terms anyway). They say that marriages have seven year itches, and people have mid-life crises, well I was turning 49 in cat years and I think that called for a crisis of its own. I just didn’t expect it wouldn’t be much fun. I don’t like to frighten my family so I haven’t told Mum & Dad all the things that happened, and they’re really not very good at understanding cat language, so I just look deeply into their eyes instead and purr and do paddy-paws.

What happened was that Mum was in Brisbane, Dad was at work and I just felt like a little adventure. I was tired of being home by myself – I’m used to company while Mum works on the computer. My friend Slinky Malinky, a black cat who I’ve been playing with lots, dropped by and we were running and playing in the yards nearby.

Then I got a terrible fright – a scary person I didn’t like tried to catch me and I hid. Later on some big dogs chased me –there’s far too many of those creatures around here! I ran and ran so fast to get away from them and I had to dodge the cars as I raced across a big street. By the time I stopped I just didn’t know where I was, even though I know some of the streets from when we go to the vets or the cat resort.

For a couple of weeks I just wandered around trying to find my way home, getting more and more lost and hungry even though I managed to catch a couple of mice in the parks. One day when I was nearly starving a kind lady offered me some milk and food so I just decided to trust her for a couple of weeks. She hadn’t seen any of the posters my family had put up in the shops so she didn’t know to ring them and instead she called the pound to come and get me.

I’m lucky I’m so handsome because they tried to find my home by ringing all sorts of people. Even though they had my picture on their wall they didn’t realise it was me, because my face looked a bit less ginger in that photo. None of the people they called were my family and they went home looking very sad. After I’d been there nearly 2 weeks, they called Mum and told her they just might have me, even though they couldn’t find my microchip…I think it must have fallen out. Was I big cat? Had I been desexed? Yes, what do I know about girls?! It’s not as if I’d run away just to chase some girl. Mind you, I liked to have met the girl cat who’s missing from near here and who looks a lot like me…she looks nice.

Of course I look smug -I’m home!

Mum arrived at the pound and she told me her legs were shaking all the way there and she kept praying it would be me. When they took her into the cat room we just looked at each other but after she opened the door and leant in, I gave her my favourite head-butt of affection. We both knew I was going home! The ladies from the pound and PAWS were so excited they had tears in their eyes.

Ever since we got home I’ve been so happy to be here. I can’t get enough pats and cuddles and keep sitting as close as possible to my family and purring and purring. I even like the grandchildren now.

I don’t want to be aloof any more, I’ve had my fill of adventure. When either of my family sits down I jump straight up and join them for a cuddle. I even sleep on the end of the bed now and if I feel lonely I can go up and ask for more pats. Mum says my eyes look a bit different now – of course they do! I saw some scary stuff out there in the wilds of the suburb.

I’m done with my mid-life crisis, I just want to be safe at home. Every now and then I look out at the courtyard but it’s a scary world out there, and inside everyone loves me. You’d think I was a celebrity the way my family has turned into the paparazzi and take my photo at every turn. And everywhere my parents go people are just so thrilled that I made it home safely – and so am I.

Mum wants to get in on the act now, but I don’t mind because we’re such good mates.

Mr Cassmob & I are so grateful for the kindness of all our friends and the random strangers we bailed up to ask about Springer. The TELAF people were fabulous in keeping Springer’s photo in the missing list for people to see and the RSPCA, PAWS and the pound were all responsive to our requests for follow-up. We’re eternally grateful to have our boy back safe and sound and especially thank the unknown lady who looked after him in Holtze St as well as the PAWS ladies at the pound who called us to come and look. People have been so kind.

Dear Sir Springer,
I am so glad you’re home, and have had your fill of adventure. You’ve made your Mum and Dad very happy, as well as those of us who were thinking about you while you were away.
Welcome Home!
(Thanks for letting us know Pauleen; I’m really happy for you.)
Cheers,
Jennifer

Miaow, purr, Jennifer :-) (It was everyone’s kindness and support that encouraged us when we were sad Jennifer. It’s amazing to think that people we’ve never met in person care about our lives. Pauleen

Very well told, Springer. These mid-life crises can be dangerous – but at least you didn’t run off in a red sports car! Now you can settle down and be a gracious senior citizen, with lots of tales to tell. So glad you’re home and I know your Mum and Dad are too.

Arise Sir Springer, you are one talented feline… but don’t get too smug. Your people love you fiercely, especially now you have learnt to communicate, but don’t forget to keep giving those cuddles… getting attention by running away only lasts so long! Now you have to keep being a good boy and show them daily how much you appreciate them. Besides, Slinky Malinky may not be as much fun as you think… after all, you were left to roam the wild on your own. Best to stay where food, love and attention are plentiful, not to mention a nice soft bed.

The grass isn’t always greener, but the cuddles are always loving. :-)

How did Springer get his name? He’s beautiful. My son’s Maine Coon also disappeared last week, though he returned home on the fourth day. I’ve once heard a story about a cat returning home after several months following the devastation of a tornado in his home town. They’re amazing animals. My cat’s name is Slasto; she’s named after a quarry tile that’s found in South Africa because of her markings. The problem is that our American friends (our new home) have difficulty pronouncing the foreign ‘word,’ so we’re constantly having to spell it out for them. Thanks for visiting my blog today; let’s stay in touch. Your blog is filled with wonderful content; I can see you do a lot of work on it. Have a lovely weekend!

hi Belinda, He got his name because when a young cat he habit of kung-fu-ing you as you came round a corner etc. He’s mostly given this up -too much of him to do so I suspect;-) Now that he’s a more mature cat he trots along with his very fluffy banner tail in the air earning him an aka of Trotsky. I’m so pleased that your son’s cat came home, it was the not knowing what happened that we found the hardest because he’s always been reliable about being home. I can see the logic of asking for a different name to be spelled out -I find it easier to remember then. I assume it’s pronounced vaguely like elastic without the e and the ic changed to “o”.

Oh yes, the kung-fu thing … they’re so funny. Slasto spits; I wish I can record it to share … you won’t believe; she’s can outdo a Cobra. It’s part of the evening play ritual; I chase her around, and she tries to hide under my pillow; so I stalk her and pull her tail, and then she jumps up and spits. It cracks my husband up.

I’m so glad Springer is home. Now I have looked quickly at some of your other posts, and I must come back and visit a while. Australia fascinates me, and it is one of two continents that I haven’t visited. Gotta put that on my bucket list.

So are we Janice! A lot of the posts on this blog are about family history, then there’s the book blog I need to write posts for. A to Z was great fun though. Definitely visit Oz -it’s well worth a visit I think.

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